Memorials will be preserved and relocated

July 20, 2022 — At the end of each school year, starting with the Class of 1995, Siuslaw High graduates have traditionally left their mark in a fresh batch of cement in an area on the west side of the student parking lot.

Thanks to a liability evaluator conducted for Siuslaw School District’s insurance company, the tradition must end.

“The cement from the north parking island was uneven and did not match height to adjacent sections,” said Siuslaw School District Superintendent Andy Grzeskowiak. “Additionally, items that had been buried worked their way loose and there have been multiple incidents of trip and fall accidents by visitors to campus crossing the island, entering and exiting for school events. The liability evaluator for the district's insurance carrier has stated that those materials should be removed.”

Construction crews, who are in the process of preparing the school for installation of new modular buildings, used excavators to remove the cement slabs.

Besides the graduate handprints there were also memorials to students who had passed during their time at Siuslaw. Those will be preserved.

“All of the memorial markers have been preserved and will be relocated,” said Andy Grzeskowiak.

Some SHS graduates had heard news of the removal and were gathered at the high school to survey the situation.

“I just got into town and my friend texted me about this,” said Mak York, a Siuslaw graduate. “How's is this possible? I can't believe my eyes. Just look at everything that's inside this cement that’s just been destroyed. Just taken away like it was never there. I would have loved to bring my kids here someday.”

Look for more updates on construction at Siuslaw High in future editions of the Siuslaw News.